Resolution Criteria

The Type 004 aircraft carrier is currently under construction at the Dalian Shipyard since 2024 and remains unnamed. The market resolves based on the official name announced by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) upon the carrier's commissioning or official designation. Resolution will be determined by official PLAN announcements, Chinese state media, or credible international defense sources reporting the official name.

Background

China's aircraft carriers appear to follow a naming convention where they adopt their official designation by taking the name of one of China's coastal provinces. The first carrier, Liaoning, was named in honour of the province in which it was retrofitted.

The second carrier was named Shandong.

The third carrier was named Fujian when it was officially completed and launched on June 17, 2022. The Type 004 is the fourth aircraft carrier of the Chinese aircraft carrier programme and the third to be built indigenously by China. Unlike the conventionally-powered Fujian, the Type 004 will be much larger and likely the first Chinese surface warship to feature nuclear marine propulsion.

Considerations

The Type 004 remains yet-unnamed, and China has not officially announced a name. The carrier is still in early construction phases, so the naming announcement may not occur for several years. If the carrier is never completed or commissioned, the market may resolve N/A.

• Update 2025-11-16 (PST) (AI summary of creator comment): If a second Type 003 Fujian class carrier is finished and named before the Type 004, that name would qualify for resolution of this market.